PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
The Bharatiya Janata Party said that the minority law is important for establishing equality and the spirit of welfare for all in Uttarakhand. The State BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt said that the State government and party have a clear position that the minority community in the country is not limited to one religion.
The minority community includes Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Parsis and several others and there should be equal provisions for all. “We are committed to ensuring equal civil rights, facilities and welfare schemes for everyone,” he said. Bhatt welcomed the governor’s approval of the Minority Education Bill passed by the Uttarakhand Assembly, saying that with this approval, the Bill now becomes law and this amendment will help build a sense of equality among all minority groups. Questioning the Congress’ opposition to the Bill, Bhatt said that it reflected the party’s appeasement policy. He asked Congress to clarify whether it considered only Muslims as minorities or also recognised Sikh, Christian and Jain communities.
Responding to Congress’ demand for a CBI investigation into the alleged temple committee gold-plating issue, Bhatt said that the demand was baseless. He asked Congress when it will stop opposing ongoing CBI investigations, pointing out that many of its senior leaders have often accused the agency of bias.
Bhatt said that an independent probe by the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) had already found the allegations false. He alleged that Congress was trying to harm public faith in Hindu religious institutions for political gain. He added that the BJP will not compromise on issues related to State interest and respect for Sanatan Dharma.
